


The Namesake

by wheel_pen



Series: Viridian Trip [6]
Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fish out of Water, Gen, Imprinting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-13
Updated: 2013-04-13
Packaged: 2017-12-08 10:04:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/760117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wheel_pen/pseuds/wheel_pen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Something strange is going on in Sickbay, and Malcolm is determined to find out what.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Namesake

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. Viridians appear human, but are actually aliens who imprint on other people (Viridian or otherwise) and form a bond with them. They also live their entire life cycle in about six Earth years.
> 
> 2\. In each series, a different character is a Viridian, who was raised by mean Klingons on an outpost. An Enterprise crewmember is captured by the Klingons and they inadvertently form a bond with the Viridian, who helps them escape. Then they return to rescue the Viridian and bring them aboard the Enterprise. The Viridian homeworld is contacted and the Enterprise crew learn the Viridian will most likely die if they are sent away. So they end up staying on the Enterprise, and the crewmember has to adjust.
> 
> 3\. The bad words are censored. That’s just how I do things.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this AU. I own nothing and appreciate the chance to play in this universe.

Trip was lying on the floor of Sickbay when Reed entered. "Trip?" he asked in confusion, "are you alright?"  
  
Trip looked back over his shoulder at the Tactical Officer. "Oh, hi, Lt. Reed," he greeted cheerfully. "Yeah, I'm okay."

"What are you doing on the floor?" Reed continued, drifting closer suspiciously.

At that moment Phlox came around the corner. "Don't move another step, Lieutenant!" he shouted urgently, and Reed froze in place.

"Doctor!?"

"Sorry, sorry," Phlox sighed, directing Reed towards him, away from Trip. The doctor was wearing the most enormous gloves Reed had ever seen—some kind of heavy-duty alloy with sleeves that went up past his elbows, and fingers Reed would be hard-pressed to encircle with his own thumb and forefinger. "Uh... what can I do for you, Lieutenant?" he continued, making an attempt at pleasantness despite his obvious nervousness.

"Come on, Malcolm," Trip was saying. "Come on out of there now." Reed looked back at Trip in confusion, but the young man was staring at the wall by the imaging chamber.

"Uh, Lieutenant?" Phlox prompted.

"Um—headache," Reed answered distractedly, still trying to figure out what was going on. "Doctor—"

"You get a lot of headaches, Lt. Reed," Trip commented sociably, now sitting up and facing Reed. "Maybe it's because you're too tense. I could give you a massage sometime."

Reed didn't know quite how to respond to that, but the doctor did. "Trip," he said warningly, "please keep your mind on the task at hand, hmm?"

"Right," Trip agreed, turning back to face the wall. "Malcolm! Come on out, boy. We're not going to hurt you."

Phlox gave Reed one of his creepy, oversized clown smiles and abruptly injected the Tactical Officer in the neck. "Mild analgesic," he announced. "You'll feel better in no time." Reed was still turning between him and Trip. "I'm sure you have your duties to get back to..." Phlox added leadingly, obviously trying to get rid of him.

Reed crossed his arms over his chest defiantly. "Something suspicious is going on here," he announced, "and I think you'd better tell me what it is."

"I don't know what you mean, Lieutenant," Phlox attempted innocently.

"Maaaaalcoooooooolm," Trip cooed, still facing the wall. Reed was getting rather disturbed at this point.

"Oh, alright," Phlox sighed with exasperation. "It's my Xenoian rotsucker." Reed had no idea what that was, but nodded for the doctor to continue. "He must have escaped from his cage during the altercation we had with the pirates. He seems to have lodged himself behind the imaging chamber." Phlox appeared more flustered than Reed had seen him in quite some time. "He may be injured."

"Oooooh, there's a good boy," Trip said triumphantly, slowly and awkwardly climbing to his knees. He appeared to have something in his hands, though Reed couldn't see what it was. Phlox hovered anxiously, several feet away. "That's a good boy, Malcolm."

"Be careful, Trip," Phlox advised him apprehensively. "If he's injured, he may not act in a normal fashion!"

"Oh, it's okay, isn't it, Malcolm," Trip told the creature soothingly, cradling it in his arms as he stood. Finally he turned around and started walking slowly towards a biobed.

"That's the ugliest thing I've ever seen," Reed commented, slightly awed, leaning closer for a better look at the warty, greenish-brown amphibian.

Phlox stopped him with an arm across his chest. "And one of the deadliest," he revealed dramatically. "Those spines contain enough neurotoxin to paralyze a Rigellian megasaur."

Reed stayed where he was. "But they don't hurt Viridians?" he guessed hopefully, nodding towards Trip.

"I have no idea," Phlox confessed, with some frustration. "I can't imagine why they wouldn't. But Trip seems to have a calming effect on him, so..." If Phlox were human, and not wearing such massive gloves, Reed imagined he would be crossing his fingers for luck right about now.

Slowly the doctor crept forward towards Trip, holding out a hand scanner as far as he dared. "You've had an adventure, haven't you, Malcolm?" Trip was still saying to the creature, gently stroking his head between two rows of flattened spines. "I bet you're hungry, huh? We'll get you something to eat in just a minute."

"Why is he calling it 'Malcolm'?" Reed hissed to Phlox.

The doctor gave him a slightly embarrassed look. "He seems to be in good health," Phlox non-answered, setting the scanner down. "I'll just get his cage."

"Whoa there, Malcolm!" Trip said suddenly, as the creature squirmed in his grip. Phlox made a gasping noise and both he and Reed froze in place, holding their breath for a minute. "Ohhhh," Trip continued to the creature, smiling again, "you were just getting more comfortable, huh?"

Phlox sagged with relief and hurried after the cage. "What sort of therapeutic property does this thing have?" Reed queried, staying well out of the doctor's way.

Phlox set the cage on the biobed next to Trip and opened the door. "Rotsuckers are extremely efficient at eating away dead flesh, to prevent it from harboring infection," he answered distractedly, watching Trip lower the creature into the nest of leaves. "And the venom in their spines—considerably diluted, of course—makes a highly-effective analgesic." He latched the cage door shut securely and let out a long breath. "Oh," he added thoughtfully, "like the kind I just gave you a moment ago."

Reed's hand immediately went to the site of the injection in his neck. "You're sure it's safe?" he questioned, just in case.

"Oh, perfectly," Phlox assured him, hauling the cage back to the countertop. "Go wash your hands."

Reed stared at him in surprise until he realized the doctor was talking to Trip, who ambled off to the sink dutifully. "You didn't explain why he was calling it 'Malcolm'," the Tactical Officer pointed out distrustfully.

"Mmmm, yes," Phlox muttered, removing the mammoth gloves. "I think I'll let Trip take that one."


End file.
